Savvas Papasavvas has been elected President of the General Court of the European Union, taking over the role from Marc van der Woude following the early end of his mandate. The Cypriot judge, who had served as the court's Vice-President since 2019, will hold the post until 31 August 2028, completing the remainder of the current presidential term. His election marks the first time a Cypriot jurist has led the institution.
The appointment
Papasavvas was elected by his fellow judges to serve for the remainder of the presidential term, running from 16 September 2026 to 31 August 2028, following the early termination of Marc van der Woude's mandate as President.
Legal and academic training
Born in 1969 in Nicosia, Savvas S. Papasavvas studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, graduating in law in 1991. He went on to postgraduate study at the Université de Paris II in France, where he obtained a D.E.A. in public law in 1992. In 1995, after completing a doctoral programme at the Université d'Aix-Marseille III in France, he was awarded a doctorate in law.
Career as a lawyer and academic
Papasavvas was admitted to the Cyprus Bar Association and became a member of the Nicosia Bar in 1993, practising as a lawyer until his appointment to the General Court in 2004. Alongside his legal practice, he taught at the University of Cyprus as a lecturer from 1997 to 2002, before being elected lecturer in constitutional law, a role he held from 2002 to 2004.
Judicial career at the General Court
Papasavvas was appointed a judge of the General Court on 12 May 2004. He was elected President of Chamber for two consecutive terms, from 15 September 2010 to 25 September 2016. His colleagues then elected him Vice-President of the General Court on 27 September 2019, a role he held until his election as President.
